System of suspending electric conductors



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C. J. VAN DEPOELIE.

SYSTEM 0E SUSPENEING ELECTRIC ooNDUoToEs.

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C. J. VAN DBPOELE.

SYSTEM OP SUSPBNDING ELECTRIC GONDUGTORS.

No. 894,039. Patented Deo. 4, 1888.

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G. J. VAN DEPOELE.

SYSTEM 0E SUSPENDING ELECTRIC GONDUGTOES.

No. 394,039. Patented Deo. 4, 1888.

WW1/wow@ 5ft/memo@ (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

C. J. VAN DEPOELB.

SYSTEM 0E SUSPENDING ELECTRIC GONDUGTOES.

No. 394,039. Patented Deo. 4, 1888.

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vits suspending and anchorage devices.

UNITED STATES NPATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOEL l, OE LYNN, MASSACIIIISETTS.

SYSTEM OF SUSPENDING ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,039, dated December4, 1888.

Appczilon tiled September l0, 1888. Serial No. 285,072. (No modela T0all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VAN DE- POELE, a citizen ot' the lnitedStates, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSystems of Suspending Electric Conductors, ot' which the t'ollowing is adescription.

My invention relates to imlnovementls in l are supported as follows: Onthe inside ot the means for supporting the suspended supplyconductorsused in what are called the overhead supply systems ott' electricrailways, to

an improved arrangement and construction of 1 said supporting devices,and to various other details ot' construction-such as insulatorsthearrangement of switches and crossings, as will more fully appear,reference bein ghad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 'l isa diagrammatic plan view showing the general arrangement ot' theoverhead conductor and supl'iorting devices. Eig. 2 is a similar viewshowing a part ot' the line including a turn-out. Fig. 2i illustratesthc arrangement when crossing another similar line. Eig. 4- is anenlarged detail view oi' the crossing-switch. Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail of the turn-out switch. Fig. (i is an enlarged end view of aportion of a singletraclt line. Fig. 7 is a side elevation on anenlarged scale, showing a portion ot the main t onductor and Eig. 8 .isan end view ol" one ot" the arched suspending devices. Fig. Si is adetail view showing a cross-wire or cable conm-lctiolr Fig. l0 is adetail view of a link-insulator. Pig. l1 is a similar view oi' thelink-insulator somewhat differently constructed. Fig. 1; is anelevation, partly in section, showingI an insulating turn-buckle. Fig.18 is a diagrammatic plan view at the end of a turn-out where doubleoverhead comluctors are used. Fig. ll is an inverted plan view showingthe construction at the point where supply-(Lonductors o't' oppositiepolarities cross. Fig. l5 is a side elevation ot' what is shown in Eig.l-i.. Fig. l5 is a detail showingl a different form oi' guard.

Similarletters denote like partis throughout.

As seen in the drawin gs, A A A2 Ai2 Al represent the curb-lines ot' thestreets along the line of travel ot' that portion oi an electric railwayillustrated in Fig. l.

ot railwaj.' extending along thc street B and curving into the st reet Cat right angles thereto.

P P are thc main supply-conductors in circuit with the source ot'current and extending along thc line ot' way at a height of abouteighteen t'cet [from thc track and in a position substantially centralthcreabovc.

The curvedportions ol the conductors P P curve is located a pole, (I,from which a stout wire or rope, E, extends along the street B to apole, e, which may bc atY the next crossing or at any suitableintermediate point, the

' length ot' said rope at'ter it passes iittecn or twenty feet from thecrossing at which is l0- cated thef-polcd beingimmaterial. A secondsimilar rope, E', extends ti'rom the pole along the street C and issecured to a pole, e,which may also lfor convenience carry a cross-wire,c2, supporting a straight' portion oi' the conductors. Poles F E arelocated at the adjacent crossings, preferably on thc inside ot' thecurbs A A2, and connected by a cable, F2, extendin across the streetbeyond the outer limit ot` the curve. "ables (i G extend from the polesE F to and are secured to poles ff', which may be located opposite tothe poles c e, cross-wire @Q being also secured to the polef.

As indicated in the drawings, the line begins at the cross wire or cablef2, secured to suitable poles, fi f4, and to it the conductors P P areattached by insuhitting-links II, to be tui-ther specitically described,and adjacent to said links I provide turn-buckles I i'or adjusting thetension ot' the conductors. The straight portion of the conductors P Pbetween the terminus and the curve is supported by cross-wires .I Jwhich are secured to the cables E G. Said poles e j, respectively beingadjacent to the curve, must hold the conductors against considerablelateral strain. The cross-wire J includes strong metallic suspendingdevices K, to which the conductor is directly attached. These devices`which I have denominated arched Suspenders, are not herein claimed,being included in a separate application tiled August 22, i888, SerialNo. essa/i5.

The arched Suspenders K are so constructed a a a d are the track-railsof a double line l that the tension of the cross-wire is taken IOOthrough the line of the suspension of the conductor, and they thereforeovercome all tendency to kick up and get in the Way of the travelingcontacts. A similar cross-Wire, J', is provided at the other extremityof the curve, and is shown as secured to cables E and Gr, although itmay, if desired, be secured independently thereof. Any desired number ofcross-Wires j are secured to the cable F2 on the outside 'of the curve,and extend to and are securely attached to the arched suspenders K K',by which the curvedv portions of the conductors P P are supported.

I have only shown three of the cross-wires j; but it Will be understoodthat for heavier or lighter or a greater or less number of mainconductors or a longer curve the number of the cross-wires j will beincreased or decreased, according to circumstances.

The crossvires j are secured at their outer ends to cylindric insulatorsj?, strung on the cable F2, and held in desired position by suitableclamps, 73. Insulating-links H are also preferably placed in the wires]lnear or at the point Where they are united to the suspenders K.

Heretofore it has been found necessary in supporting conductors oncurves to provide some means for maintaining the conductor in apractically curved position throughout the curve, necessitating theaddition of rigid metallic bars and other devices. Ifind, however, thatwhen my improved curve ear is employed no such auxiliaries arenecessary, and the conductor can be safely suspended at intervals ofseveral feet around the curve, the portions of conductor between thearched suspenders being substantially straight. Furthermore, theconductors being supported in the same plane as the cross-Wire thecontact device Will pass around without disturbing or deflecting it.

The straight portions of the conductors P P are supported upon thecross-Wires, as J e2, suitable insulators, L, being secured to theirsupporting-ears and to the cross-wires. At the next desirable point ofsupport for the straight portion of the conductor, which may be from oneto several hundred feet from the curve, according to circumstances, arelocated poles L L2 and a cross-Wire, Z, to which latter .is secured aform of arched suspender, provided With anchorage-ears L3. (Shown inelevation in Fig. 7.) The anchorage-ears L3 constitute points ofattachment for the anchoragecables G2 G3, Which extend from poles e. fand are secured to said anchorage-ears. Thus it Will be seen joining thestraight portions of the conductors and the cables extending around bothsides of the curve, firmly bracing, guying, and uniting the straight andcurved portions of the overhead system. The remaining straight portionsof conductor are supported by ordinary insulators, (shown in patentsalready granted to me,) suspended from the cross-wires except Where theline is deflected, when the arched suspenders K are used, the point ofsuspension being then, as pointed out, in the same plane as the cross-Wire. The anchorage-cables G2 G3 Would be repeated upon the opposite endof the curve, but that the line, as shown, terminates at thatpoint.

The arched suspender comprises a metal arch, M, provided with holes m ineach extremity for the recept-ion of the endsof the cross-Wire or forattachment `to an insulator, O, to which the cross-Wires are thensecured. From the lower central portion of the arch and arranged atright angles thereto is formed or attached the bail M,seen in elevationin Fig. '7, but without the anchoragelugs L3. The bail M is taperedtoward its extremities for lightness and in order to possess someflexibility und er certain conditions, and is formed with a deep groove,h' along its under side, in which groove the conductor P is permanentlysecured, desirably, by soldering, brazing, welding, or other equivalentmeans. The depth of the bail M'l is such that the conductor, when inplace, Will be in the same horizontal plane as the cross-wire, so thatlateral pressure exerted against the-conductor by the contact-Wheel,even When in combination with the pressure of the Wire due to adeflection from its straight course, will not elevate either end of thearch, and the conductor will consequently remain where placed.

The lugs L3 (seen in Fig. 7) form points of attachment for theanchorage-cables heretofore referred to. It being desirable to form e@S5 i the suspenders M and the bails M in a siny/ gle metal casting, thenecessary insulation is provided by what I have called link-insulators,which are placed in the crossvires,

as seen in Fig. 6, or attached directly to the suspenders themselves.Furthermore, I find it desirable to so construct one form oflinkinsulator that it shall combine the functions of an insulator and aturn-buckle, thereby admitting of the ready adjustment of the line Whilein use Without any danger to the lineman.

A form of link-insulator is shown in Fig. 1l as consist-ing of a link orbar, Q, of Wood 0r other equivalent material, about one foot in lengthand three-fourths of an inch in diameter, a desirable form havingenlarged ends q q, strengthened by a metallic ferrule or sheath, q',placed thereon and secured in position by a bolt or rivet passingthrough the ferrule and insulator. An aperture is formed through theferrule and insulator for the reception of the cross-Wire to which it isconnected.

' Another form of link-insulator is shown at Fig. l0, Q Q representingfiat strips of vulcanized fiber or leatheroid, or even Wood, which areat their ends firmly bolted to porcelain or other goodinsulating-Washers, q2, which are desirably grooved to receive the Wiresto which they are secured. For use as turn-buckle insulators theinsulating end sec- IOS IIC

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positive main conductor P is attached at the under side of the plate U,thus crossing the negative conductor, an d is supported at a shortdistance below the surface of said plate by metallic bails of about thedepth of the groove in the contact-trolley. As shown, the conductor Ppasses diagonally across the plates and across the spaces between theextremities of the ribs, and in the spaces between the extremities ofsaid ribs the conductor P is curved upward and desirably fitted into agroove in the said insulating-plate, so that the negative trolley canpass across it without touching. Ifdesired, a small projection, W, ofinsulating` material, may be placed at the central point of thedepression of the conductor P, in which position it will engage thegroove in either trolley and prevent lateral diversion thereof. Thisarrangement isshown in Fig. 15a. rlhe'relative angles of the conductorscrossing the plate U will obviously be varied to suit the positions inwhich it may be used.

Y Many details of construction, hereinbefore described, are specificallyshown and referred to, but merely by way of illustration, since it willbe understood that various minor modiiications may be made withoutdeparting from the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

l. In a system of suspended electric conductors, the combination, withthe curved portions of the conductor or conductors, of a cable extendingacross the outside of the curve, a plurality of supporting-wiresextending'from the cable to the conductors to be supported, andcross-wires, as .I attached to and sustaining said conductors at or nearthe extremities of the curve, substantially as described.

2. In a system of suspended electric conductors, the combination, withthe curved portions of the conductor or conductors, of a cable extendingalong the inside of the curve, a cable extending diagonally across theouter part of the curve, wires, as j, secured to the conductors and tothe latter cable for sustaining the curve, and transverse supportssecured to the two cables and provided with suspending devices attachedto the conductors at or near the extremities of the curve, substantiallyas described.

3. In a system of suspended electric conductors, the combination of acable extending along the inside of the curve and to a point along thestraight track, a cable extending diagonally across the outer portion ofthe curve to a corresponding point on the opposite side of the straighttrack, curve-supporting transverse connections between the conductorsand the outside cable, and anchorage-cables extending from the terminiof the cables and attached to straight portions of the conductor,whereby the cables supporting` the curved and the straight portions ofthe conductor are braced and connected, substantially as described.

4. In a system of suspended electric conductors, the combination of apole at the innermost part of the curve,poles at right angles therefromand adjacent to straight portionsA of the track, a cable connecting thepoles, poles located exterior to the curve and substantially opposite tothe extremes thereof, and poles located in line with said last-mentionedpoles and opposite to poles along the straight part of the track, acable extending between poles at the outer extremities of the curve andto the polesin line therewith, transverse supporting-wires extendingbetween the outside cable and the curved conductors i and securedthereto, transverse or cross wires secured to the cables and to thestraight parts of the conductors at the extremities of the curve, andanchorage-cables connecting the end poles of the system toanchorage-bails secured to straight portions of the conductor, wherebythe curve-supporting structure is mechanically united to the straightportions of the suspended system, substantially as described.

5. In a system of suspended electric conductors, the combination, withmain and branch conductors at a turn-out, of suitable frogs or switchesnear its extremities, supporting-poles at or near said extremities,cables extending between the poles along the turn-out in the directionof the line of way, and transverse conductorsupporting wires connectedto said cables, substantially as dei connection therewith, substantiallyas dei scribed.

"7. In a system of suspended electric conductors, aduplex turn-outcomprising sepa-` rate switches for the positive and negative main andbranch conductors, and an insulating-crossin g at the pointofintersection of the branch negative and main positive conductors,substantially as described.

8. In a system of suspended electric conductors, a duplex turn-outcomprising separate switches for the positive and negative conductors,and an insulating-crossing at the point of intersection of the branchnegative and main positive conductor, comprising a plateV of insulatingmaterial interposed between and supporting the positive and negativemain conductors at the point .of intersection, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a system of suspended electric conductors, a crossing forconductors of opposite polarity, comprising a plate of insulatingmaterial secured to the under side of one of said

